Day: March 25, 2025

Manila: In recognizing the vital role of women farmers in ensuring food security and rural development, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) reinforced its commitment to gender equality in agriculture, ensuring that they receive equal land ownership rights and access to livelihood opportunities. According to Philippines News Agency, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III acknowledged the contributions of women farmers that are often overlooked. “Salute to our women farmers for their immense contribution to our food self-sufficiency program, more so in nation-building,” Estrella said as the DAR celebrated National Women’s Month. The department, in partnership with the International Fund for

Manila: The Supreme Court (SC) has declared as unconstitutional a provision of the 2018 Social Security System (SSS) Act that requires overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to pay their contributions in advance before they are allowed to leave the country. According to Philippines News Agency, in a 40-page decision, the SC En Banc ruled that ‘Rule 14, Section 7(iii) of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act (RA) No. 11199 is declared unconstitutional for being contrary to Sections 1 and 6 of Article III of the Constitution.’ RA 11198 (Social Security Act), signed into law by former president Rodrigo Duterte,

Manila: The Philippine government is leveraging the Higher Education Development Fund (HEDF) to enhance tourism education in the country, focusing on immersive experiences for both students and teachers. The Department of Tourism (DOT), alongside the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), has outlined new guidelines under a Joint Administrative Order (JAO) to ensure the transparent utilization of the HEDF. According to Philippines News Agency, the funding, as stipulated under Section 10 of Republic Act 7722 or the Higher Education Act of 1994, will be sourced from various avenues. These include a 40

Baguio City: Four individuals, including a police officer assigned here, were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Dontogan on Tuesday, with approximately 20 kilograms of shabu worth PHP136 million seized. According to Philippines News Agency, Col. Ruel Tagel, Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) Director, reported that additional items confiscated at the scene included a firearm, various identification documents, mobile phones, and other pieces of evidence. “This operation was the result of extensive intelligence gathering,” Tagel stated. Col. Tagel emphasized that the BCPO will not tolerate illegal activities within their ranks. He reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that those who

Baguio: The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced that Baguio City and other areas within the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) are continuing to experience lower temperatures compared to other regions and provinces in the country. This climatic phenomenon is attributed primarily to the region’s high altitude, which is around 1,500 meters above sea level. According to Philippines News Agency, engineer Hilario Esperanza, chief meteorologist of the PAGASA-Baguio Synoptic Station, explained during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas event that the elevation is a significant factor contributing to the cooler winds experienced in the region. “The higher the elevation,